Customer Reviews

Miss Zukas and the Island Murders (Miss Zukas Mysteries)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In this, the second book in the series (the first was MISS ZUKAS AND THE LIBRARY MURDERS), Helma the librarian is trying to organize her mostly Lithuanian classmates into having a 20th-year high school reunion, with little or no help from her best friend Ruth, the artist. Once again, Dereske gives us a fast-paced thriller that's hard to put down. She develops the characters introduced in the first book and adds a touch of romance, scandal, threats, anonymous letters, fog, and, of course, murder. MISS ZUKAS AND THE ISLAND MURDERS is a fun, old-fashioned cozy set on an island where murders and threats abound.

I have been a librarian for 10 years, and I have never actually "met" Miss Zukas, but she is a very believable character. I am a real mystery fan, and I loved this book. So does everyone else who has read it! This book, and its predecessor, Miss Zukas and the Library Murders, has been passed between about eight librarians all across the U.S. to gales of laughter and rave reviews. Ms. Dereske's books have great characters,well- thought plots, and an engaging style. Highly recommended

When Helma Zukas graduated from high school, 20 years ago, she was put in charge of the class treasury and charged with organizing a 20th. class reunion. Helma is reminded of the promise by an anonymous note which spurs her on to begin organizing the event. Since she had wisely invested the class's money, she had enough to fly her classmates out to Seattle where she had moved from Scoop River, Michigan. Furthermore, her best friend Ruth, also a classmate, offered the use of her friend's island resort as a gathering place. Many surprises awaited Helma, Ruth, and their classmates on the island, and most of them were unpleasant. Dead bodies begin to appear and Miss Zukas is again in the middle of a murder mystery. A dense fog covers the island and the threat of the murderer becomes even more imminent. Helma and Ruth go through their usual amusing efforts at crime solving and finally do uncover the murderer. This is a fun and quick read!

When I started my first Miss Zukas book, I wasn't sure I'd like it. Now I'm hooked. Island Murders is my 3rd foray with Miss Zukas and she just keeps getting more enjoyable. I think her anal retentiveness is hysterical, and can't wait for Sherrif Gallant (no pun there!) to shake her up a bit.
In Island Murders, Helma and her high school classmates are trapped on an island at a 20 year reunion from hell! People keep dropping dead! Once again, it's up to calm, cool, level headed librarian Helma to solve the mystery...with the help of her effervescent friend Ruth of course!

When I saw the title I worried that this might be some ill-advised trip to Fiji kind of book. I never liked it when Agatha Christie sent Miss Marple off to islands, always preferring her to stay right in her own cozy surroundings. So I was pleased to see that Dereske sends Helma and Ruth only as far as a nearby Pacific Northwest island for their 20 year high school reunion.

Character development is huge for me, so I was interested in the womens' former classmates and nasty Cousin Ricky and how they all got along together. The crime is usually of little actual interest to me; I tend to be more thrilled by learning that Helma has a queen-sized bed and a 100% pure goose down pillow. Dereske is wise and knows her readers love the books for Helma and the returning characters, for the regional flavor, and for the (too slow-moving) relationships between Helma and her man and Helma and her cat!

Straight-laced librarian Helma Zukas finds herself in charge of planning her high school reunion. Miss Zukas decides to fly all of her classmates out to the Washington coast for a resort reunion. This will give Helma the chance to investigate the mysterious death of one of her classmates during their senior year. Those accustomed to Helma's exploits will not be surprised to discover that danger follows the reunion, and Helma and company find themselves in grave danger.

This book provides the usual entertaining fare one gets in the Miss Zukas series. There are elements of the story that belie conceivability, which is also typical of this series. The reunion takes place in Washington, though the class graduated in Michigan. Helma funds the trip for the entire class, as she was supposedly able to invest left over money from class fundraising in high school. Getting around these issues this volume provides Dereske's usual standard of entertainment. This volume was more removed from the library and its environs than some of the other books. I thought that was a shame, as the library is a huge part of this series's draw.

I've been looking for a smart, sassy new cozy series and thought I would give this one a try. I have the unfortunate task of relating that this book failed to meet either critera--nor did the main character. Miss Zukas is a bossy, smug, harshly tempered librarian. She has such an exaggerated sense of propriety that all the potential fun in any given situation is virtually squeezed out before it occurs. And she doesn't even like cats! That is downright heresy in cozy-land.

In this book, Miss Zukas and her best friend, Ruth, are organizing their 20 year high school reunion. My first thought, after doing the math, was that I had misread because that would only make Miss Zukas 38!? The picture I had in my mind, up to that point, was that of a sour "old maid" in her 70's. Are you getting my point? Anyhow, it is at the reunion which takes place on an island off the Washington state coast where the problems/murders begin... If I say anymore, I get into spoiler territory.

Ruth is a bit of an artistic "misfit" and, as indicated above, Miss Z's best friend. She has a much greater sense of playfulness and fun about her--but not enough, I'm afraid, to save the book from the wet blanket antics of our priggish protagonist. My advice is to skip any book with the highly disagreeable Miss Zukas.